P.S. - Please excuse these not-so great phone pictures from last year's Thanksgiving. :)
P.P.S. - By the way, I DO know that this is technically a dressing since I did not stuff the bird with it! The cooking is just simpler this way and people think of dressing as the stuff you pour on a salad. :)
Corn Bread Stuffing with Country Sausage
Adapted slightly from Food & Wine
Ingredients
- 3 pounds corn bread, diced into 3/4-in. cubes (Use any recipe, such as mine here, or storebought bread)
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 3 medium celery ribs, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 4 medium red bell peppers, diced
- 1 pound coarsely ground country sausage meat or breakfast sausage without casings (I used turkey breakfast sausage and it was wonderful!)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup turkey stock, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium broth
Directions
- Spread the corn bread cubes on a baking sheet and let dry slightly, for at least 4 hours. Alternatively, broil for 5 - 10 minutes until lightly toasted, watching closely!
- Melt the butter in a large deep skillet.
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and red bell peppers, stirring until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the sausage, breaking it up and cooking until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer to a large bowl, then mix in the corn bread cubes and the stock.
- Spread the stuffing in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish prepared with either nonstick spray or butter. Cover with foil.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until heated through. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden.
- Make ahead: The recipe can be prepared through Step 7 and refrigerated. On the day of, bake as directed.
By the way, I made a few subtle changes to the original recipe. Firstly, I added more vegetables and I prefer a rustic rough chop, instead of a fine dice. Also, I used red bell peppers instead of poblanos for convenience and for color. I love those pops of red! Also, I preferred a smaller cube of cornbread than the 1-inch pieces that were suggested. Otherwise, I left it relatively unchanged! This is a fantastic recipe that I hope you and your family will enjoy this Thanksgiving. It may even convert a few of your stuffing-hating family members! :)
Happy Thanksgiving!
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